Holy Trinity Cemetery

Nellie Sheridan and immediate family rest within Holy Trinity Cemetery, a twelve acre burial ground, located directly behind Holy Trinity Church in Somerset. If you visit, plan to spend a bit of time as it is a wonderful place to walk, meditate, and explore. Most of the stones are in excellent condition.

There are a few notable people within the cemetery that pertain to the history of Perry County and the country as a whole: The Fincks and the Jacob Miller family, who co-founded Somerset, notable figure, Congressman Finck, Peter Spruck, early Perry County clockmaker and 1792 builder of Thomas Jefferson’s “Great Clock,” and the Perrung family. J. Perrung was a notable stonecutter in the area. His shop was located in Somerset.

The present church, erected in 1857, was the second to be constructed on the site. The first one was built in 1826/7. One can easily imagine old Mrs. Sheridan kneeling and praying for the safe return of her dear sons during the American Civil War. This particular parish was also that of Nellie Sheridan Wilson, who was a practicing Catholic. Her husband, T.C. Wilson, was a Methodist. For that reason, Nellie was married in her home and did not have a wedding within the church. Her name appears as Nellie Sheridan Wilson on her tombstone.

As a side note, the first Catholic Mass held in the State Ohio occurred in 1808 in Somerset. The Mass was celebrated by Bishop Fenwick in the home of Jacob Dittoe. The first Catholic Church in the State of Ohio, is St. Joseph’s Church located off of St. Rt. 13.